The present invention relates, in general, to scraper-chain conveyors used in mineral mining and in particular to a frame assembly for use with such conveyors.
It is known to provide scraper-chain conveyors with drive and reversing stations at the ends which serve to propel and guide the chain or chains and scrapers attached thereto along the conveyor channel sections. Each station is usually in the form of a frame assembly which has a rotatable shaft provided with a chain wheel for engagement with the chain or chains. It is possible to make each station a drive station although usually with conveyors of moderate length a single drive station is sufficient. The frame assembly constituting the drive station then has a drive means, such as an electric motor or a hydraulic motor, connected through a gearing unit to the shaft thereof. Various arrangements are known which serve to couple the output of the gearing unit which is usually mounted on one of the sides of the assembly, to the shaft. One objective of such arrangements is to make the overall width of the drive station as small as possible. Often these arrangements necessitate special support means and another disadvantage of known constructions is that they are designed for only one type or size of gearing unit. Consequently, in cases where conveyors are installed which require different gearing units extensive modifications are necessary or else a special frame assembly has to be provided for each unit. There is thus a need for a more versatile frame assembly, usable as a drive or reversing station which is able to accept gearing units of different size.
A general object of this invention is to provide an improved form of frame assembly.